1. Physical Trauma- Trauma can be a major event like a car crash, slips and falls, sports injuries and lifting injuries. Trauma can also be a minor event such as repetitive movements over time or poor posture while working on an assembly line. Most traumas can be prevented with some training, knowledge and a preventative approach. Trauma is perhaps the most common cause of pain. Very often a car crash causes spinal misalignments that most always go undetected even by emergency room physicians. ER doctors are trained to look for life threatening injuries. I have reviewed hundreds of X-rays from the hospitals that demonstrate spinal misalignments and the patient was told that they would only be sore for a few days since no bones were broken. The patient went to an orthopedic doctor and was prescribed pills for pain and inflammation and maybe sent to physical therapy. But since chiropractors are the only specialists trained to detect and correct spinal misalignments, the patient many times continues to suffer with pain six months or even one year later. These types of injuries usually heal within two to three months with proper Chiropractic care. Another common problem is misdiagnosis. Disc herniations are often overlooked in motor vehicle accidents and especially in work injuries where the injured employee is sent to the “company doctor” and told that he/she has a simple back strain. Company doctors do not want to complicate things for the company. The injured employee is given pain meds and told to go back to work. If they are lucky they might be given light duty. When these injuries are not diagnosed correctly the patient suffers and their pain can become chronic and severe. Fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome or reflex sympathetic dystrophy can develop from improperly treated pain and injuries. Misdiagnosis and improper treatments are huge problem in America today.      

2. Poor Foundation–The feet are the foundation of the body. If the feet are not supported properly, this can lead to many problems, which can be prevented. Wearing good arch supports are important to stabilize and support the feet, ankles, hips and back. One leg might also be slightly shorter than the other. A simple heel lift in the shorter leg can correct this problem. These two corrections help level the foundation and prevent micro trauma to the ankles, knees, hips, back and shoulders. It can also prevent heel spurs and foot pain. The foundation of a building needs to be level. If the foundation is not level what happens to the walls? They begin to crack. The human body is similar. If the feet, which are the foundation of the body, are not level and well supported, the knees are usually what begin to ache and break down first. Pain can occur in the feet, ankles, knees, hips, low back and up to the shoulders. There needs to be proper alignment and foot support, which in turn creates balance.

3. Poor Body Mechanics / Improper Lifting -Many people have not been taught the correct way to lift. You lift by bending at the knees and squatting. Some people think you should lift with the legs when lifting only big heavy things. You should make it a habit to lift even the smallest things correctly to protect your back and spine. Repeated bending over at the waist to lift can strain and injure your back muscles, loosen the ligaments that hold the spinal vertebra in place. Improper lifting is the most common way to herniate a disc next to trauma. Improper lifting can cause mild to severe pain to the muscles and spine.

4. Lack of Exercise / Improper Exercise – When muscles are not used, they begin to weaken and atrophy. There is a saying that is so true, “Use it or loose it.” Lack of exercise causes poor muscle tone. Poor muscle tone contributes to poor posture. Poor posture causes spinal distortion and spinal problems. Spinal distortion causes nerve interference. Nerve interference can cause pain and many health problems. Improper exercise is walking or running if you have bad knees, hips or ankles. This will only aggravate your problem and make it worse. You need to find the right exercise for you. If you have bad knees or hips what you need are good mineral supplements, maybe bicycling or swimming, and arch supports (See # 2). Exercise and proper nutrition (See # keeps your joints well-lubricated, circulation good and helps balance your hormone levels. Muscle toning, especially the abdominal and lower back or core muscles, is vital for a healthy spine and body. Proper exercise is medicine to the body, mind and soul. There are hundreds of books written on the many benefits of exercise.

5. Poor Posture/ Gravitational Compression - When was the last time you saw your posture? Look in the mirror and be sincere and honest with yourself.  Have someone that loves and cares about you give you some honest feedback about your posture. Do the same for them. How is your posture when you are sitting, driving, working on the computer, working at home, playing sports, hobbies, sleeping, lifting or when you’re reading? Household chores like washing dishes, vacuuming; making the beds, picking up dirty clothes doesn’t have to strain your muscles if you use good posture. If it needs improving work on it. Have your spouse or children help you by having them remind you when they see you slouching. Proper head posture while reading is to hold up whatever it is you are reading while holding your head straight. Look down with your eyes instead of tilting your head down. Gravity also effects posture. Gravity’s compressional force is acting on our spine and muscles approximately sixteen hours a day. Our spine is being compressed when we are sitting or standing. There is nothing better than good Chiropractic care and inversion therapy to reverse the negative effects of gravity. Poor posture and gravity are the most common causes of pain next to trauma.

6. Lack of Love and Nurturing-There has been many studies performed on the effects regarding the lack of love and nurturing. The lack of love negatively affects the immune system, stress levels, blood pressure, longevity, IQ and other areas of the body, mind and soul. Negative thoughts and emotions like hate, greed, anger, and jealousy will negatively impact your health and cause disease. Instead of letting these negative thoughts stay with you practice what the Hippocratic Oath states: “Warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.” Love also has a healing effect. Give love unconditionally. Love yourself. You will feel good about it, and it is positive for the mind, body and soul. “Where there is LOVE, there is LIFE.” Mahatma Gandhi

7. Lack of Quality Sleep- This is a very common problem in America today. Unfortunately, millions of people succumb to the billion dollar pharmaceutical advertising, the medical system and their pills. Most people need six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Eat healthy and not late at night. Exercise several times a week. Find solutions to problems that arise in life and do not let them escalate to where they cause tremendous stress in your life. Practice good posture even when you go to bed. Sleeping on your stomach is not good posture because you have to twist your head and neck in order to breath. You also need a good pillow depending on whether you sleep on your back or your side. Large puffy pillows will make your head bend forward too much when sleeping on your back. A pillow between the knees can help take pressure off the knees, low back and pelvis. You might need to purchase a new mattress also. Many times patients ask me if a hard mattress is better than a soft one. My reply is, “How do you wake up feeling in the morning?” If you wake up feeling like you have been run over then you might need a new mattress. Misalignment of your spine can also cause you to not sleep well. Inversion and a good Chiropractor are the best things for correcting spinal misalignments. Exercise is also one of the best “sleeping pills” to help you get a good night sleep.

8. Lack of Needed Nutrients- Our diet should consist of good natural whole foods as the basis of our nutrition.  We also need to supplement our diets with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants and proteins. If we are deficient our body starts to break down or not heal properly. These nutrients are especially important so that the muscles, nerves, brain, spinal cord, organs and glands function optimally. Most medical doctors used to tell their patients that they just needed to eat right. Doctors that are truly knowledgeable about nutrition all now agree that vitamins/ minerals/ enzymes are needed for maintaining good health and preventing disease. Check out Usana’s vitamin/mineral supplements. They have been independently rated the highest nutritional supplements in the world.

Eat to live and to nourish your body. Don’t live to eat. Overeating is an overload to your digestive organs. It is a compulsive behavior brought on by stress, depression, television commercials and certain addicting chemicals in packaged snack foods. Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.

9. Emotional Stress/Emotional Trauma -The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This insanity cycle causes a lot of stress. If you don’t like the results that you are getting in life, change what you are doing. For example, if you do not like your job find something that you really enjoy doing. If you have a problem and do not take care of it, it is not going to go away by itself. You then dwell and stress about it and all that does is causes you to have more stress and anxiety. Get a handle on stress before it handles you. An excellent book by Dale Carnegie is How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. This book teaches you how to handle problems and worry in very simple and effective ways.

10. Chemical Stress- There are thousands of chemicals, many of which are known to be cancerous, that the FDA has allowed. They are everywhere in our work environment, household cleaning and personal grooming products to our foods in the form of preservatives, artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers, artificial colors and flavorings to name a few. Lifestyle habits such as cigarettes, illegal drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs, and household cleaning products cause havoc to our bodies.

Not wearing gloves when using cleaning solutions or inhaling the fumes is also very toxic to the lungs, sinuses and kidneys. There are some people that say you can’t eliminate chemicals entirely from our lives. Those are the same people that rationalize why they can’t or don’t eat healthy or exercise. They only smoke a few cigarettes a day, only drink four to five glasses of wine with dinner every night and only drink two sodas a day (Super Big Gulps).

Most cosmetics and make-up contain petroleum and other toxic chemicals. Antiperspirants contain aluminum chlorhydrate. It is amazing how many chemicals most persons ingest, apply, inhale and come in contact with daily. Household cleaning and personal care products are perhaps the most overlooked for creating toxicity and allergies in the body. Misleading food labels compounds the problem by tricking the consumer into believing they are buying an all natural product when in actuality it is not.

There are much safer and better substitutes. For example, there is a crystal rock deodorant that contains no aluminum or other toxic perfumes and chemicals. It is available at most health food and organic stores. It costs about six dollars and will last you about two years. I’ve been using it for over fifteen years. Actress Jennifer Lopez makes a comment about it in the movie Enough. There are also deodorants vs. anti-prespirants which do not contain   aluminum chlorhydrate. Read labels and become knowledgeable.

There are now many healthy choices from natural mineral make-up for women to non-toxic cleaners and organic foods. You just need to educate yourself a little more. Don’t you and your family deserve the best? Some people say they can’t afford to buy these products. Here’s what a patient of mine once told me. “I buy Rice Dream for my children instead of cows’ milk even though it is a little more expensive but, in the long run my children rarely get sick anymore so I don’t have to take them to the doctor hardly ever. Yeah it costs a little more than cow’s milk but I save a lot more money in the long run by not having to take my kids to the doctor and spend on doctor visits and antibiotics.”

The less you violate any of the TEN MOST COMMON CAUSES OF PAIN AND DISEASE the healthier and happier you’ll be. You’ll probably live a lot longer too. This can be a good thing, if you’re healthy.

I would like to share a miracle story with you. It is about one of my classmates in Chiropractic school and his wife.

Gary was a cattle rancher in Montana. Like most married couples they wanted to start a family of their own. Gary was in his late thirties and his wife had just turned thirty. The time was right. They were both healthy and assumed pregnancy would come naturally.  However, after about a year of trying they were still unsuccessful at getting pregnant.

His wife went to every fertility specialist, endured lab tests, exploratory procedures and hormone treatment… all to no avail.   Frustrated, emotionally drained and at a loss for what to do next, they finally went back to their family doctor. Their doctor recommended they see one more specialist, a Chiropractor. Confused, Gary commented that his wife did not have any back pain but their family physician insisted they go.

It did not make sense at the time but out of desperation and their trust in their family doctor’s advice, they decided to go see the Chiropractor. When they met with the Chiropractor, all uncertainty went away.  They learned how the body, spine and nervous system work and how Gary’s wife could have nerve interference in the nerves that control the ovaries.  They felt disbelief that not one of the specialists they had seen before never once suggested this possibility.

Well, I am happy to share that after several sessions of Chiropractic care, Gary’s wife got pregnant! It was a miracle for them! They even had two more children!

This experience with their Chiropractor had such a huge impact on Gary and his wife that he decided to become a Chiropractor himself.  He wanted to commit his life to sharing with others all the benefits of Chiropractic care. So when his youngest child was two year old, they sold their cattle ranch in Montana and they moved to Dallas TX so Gary could enroll at Parker College of Chiropractic.

Most people do not understand how the human body works and the importance of the spine and how the nerves carry the electrical life force to every organ, gland, muscle, joints and vital systems of the body. And unfortunately, many medical doctors do not understand this either so they do not recommend Chiropractic care as an option for infertility or the nay other conditions that can be cured with Chiropractic care.

I hope this story inspires other women who have struggled to get pregnant to seek and find a good Chiropractor as their first choice if faced with the  situation of not being able to get pregnant.

The feet are the foundation of the body. If the feet are not supported properly, this can lead to many structural problems. Fortunately, these problems can be prevented. Wearing good arch supports are important to stabilize and support the foundation of your body … your YOUR FEET. And by stabilizing and supporting your feet you also properly support your ankles, hips and back.

Most people think that only persons with flat feet need arch supports. But today’s shoes do not have any type of arch support built into the shoe. Most  (99%) shoes even the expensive ones do not have any arch support. I have bought dozens of running shoes over my lifetime and I need to put a shoe insert /orthotic every time I get a new pair of not only running shoes but literally any shoe except of course flip flops.

One leg might also be slightly shorter than the other. A simple heel lift in the shorter leg can correct this problem. These two corrections help level the foundation and prevent micro trauma to the ankles, knees, hips, back and shoulders. It can also prevent heel spurs and foot pain or plantar fascitis.

What are some options to foot orthotics or shoe inserts?  Massage really feels good and helps but the problem will usually come back because what you really need are some good inserts. Many people with foot problems might think about going to a foot specialist. That would be a podiatrist or a pedorthist.  The podiatrist might talk about prescription drugs. Not my favorite by any means. You may also be offered ultrasound or even  injections. Not for me thank you anyway. Then there is always surgery. Again…a BIG NO THANK YOU. Not with the risks of infection or something worse yet. A pedorthist is a specialist in using footwear  which includes shoes, shoe modifications,orthotics and other pedorthic devises to solve problems in, or related to the feet. Many chiropractors also specialize in foot problems and would be a good resource.

By now you might be wondering what type of orthotics I recommend. I have tried everything from the ones you may have seen on an infomercial on TV to the popular Dr Scholls brand you can find at WalMart or Walgreen’s. I’m sorry but these are not very good quality. Just recently Dr Scholls started making some that are improving but still do not meet my standards. I have also tried the expensive custom made orthotics. These can range from $300- $400. I have literally used one of the custom orthotics in one shoe and one of my favorites in the other shoe and did not feel that the price difference was worth the much more money for the custom orthotics.

My favorite orthotics are Superfeet and Powerstep’s. Spenco also makes some very decent orthotics. There’s a few more brands out there but these are the ones I have tried and loved especially for the price. You will love them. Your feet will love them

Remember, the foundation of a building needs to be level. If the foundation is not level what happens to the walls? They begin to crack.

A poor foundation needs to be stabilized. Your feet are the foundation to your body. They need the proper support. You may go years with no problems other than tired achy feet. But that can be prevented as well.

If the feet, which are the foundation of the body, are not level and well supported, the knees are usually what begin to ache and break down first. Pain can occur in the feet, ankles, knees, hips, low back and travel up to the shoulders. There needs to be proper alignment and foot support, which in turn creates balance.

Get yourself some foot orthotics and discover what you have been missing.

“You don’t know what you are missing until you know what you have been missing”.    Dr. G

It’s amazing how many people FAIL to follow through with a treatment recommendation.  Let me explain. I had a young woman consult with me about her back pain just last week. She had been suffering with her back for approximately six months. The MD’s gave her prescriptions for the pain and muscle spasms but the pain would come back. They gave her an injection but the pain came back. They were now recommending surgery.

A co-worker referred her to me. The first thing I asked her was if the other doctors had taken x-rays. She said “no”. I explained that x-rays are the first tool and that they would allow us to take a look at her spine. I also explained that the spine is where the spinal cord is housed and all the nerves come off the spinal cord and go to every muscle, organ and gland. In short this “Master System” of nerves, spinal cord and brain Control and Direct all functions of the human body.

So we get some x-rays of her spine and what do we find? Her spine is crooked or subluxated. It is also called misaligned. The spinal bones are out of their normal position and this causes nerve interference which in turn causes muscle spasms and back pain. I also explained to her that she might also have a disc problem which is what is usually what causes the pain shooting down the leg. The bulging or herniated disc pinches on the sciatic nerve. This is the nerve that is located in the low back and goes all the way down the leg. There are nerves on both the right and left side of the spine. This condition is called “Sciatica”.

She got her first treatment and said how much better she felt afterwards. I recommended two times a week for a couple of weeks to see how she did. I also recommended some exercises and for her to get an Inversion machine to use daily at home. She said she was going to talk to her husband.

I never heard back from her. Did her husband decide against the treatment? He never even bothered to call me and ask any questions. Did she decide to have the spinal surgery instead? I made her fully aware of all the risks involved…complications, infection, blood clot, embolism and the worst being death.Yes people die in or from surgery every day. We just don’t hear about it. I have personally known two people that died from knee surgeries and several others that died from various other types of surgeries.

I’m not saying people should never have surgery but it should be the LAST option. Too many people think it’s a quick fix. There is also no guarantee that surgery is going to fix the problem. This is why you have to sign all those disclaimers when you agree to any surgery. You will not hold the surgeons, hospital, anesthesiologist or anyone else liable should something go wrong.

If you are going to get in shape do yo0u go to the gym one time? If you are going to get your teeth straightened and get braces… do you just wear the braces one time? No….it requires follow through.

If I tell a patient to start taking a high quality Glucosamine, which is available here www.drcarlos.usana.com then that patients needs to follow through. I also mention that this product has a 100% money back guarantee. Some people will follow through and some won’t. I guess it’s just human nature.

When I have any type of pain be it from a sport injury (which I have had plenty), careless lifting or whatever I don’t only treat the pain one time. I may ice the area 5 or more times in one day. I also look for as many possible natural solutions that I can use to help my body heal.  That actually led me to write “Hanging Out Pain Free- 105 Natural Pain Relief Solutions”. I will be posting 21 of the 105 on this site in the near future.

The same is true if you are looking to get healthier. You have to FOLLOW THROUGH”. Being healthy and pain free requires ongoing attention and care for your body. it really is worth it. You feel good about yourself, your body feels good. You don’t hurt when you get out of bed. You don’t suffer with headaches, stomach problems, heartburn, allergies, high blood pressure and on and on. You don’t have to take prescription drugs. you don’t have to be visiting doctors and having them try to figure out why you have this pain or health problem. Actually most run a few tests and prescribe. Because that’s how they have been trained in medical schools.

If you have an MD that says, “you have high blood pressure but before I prescribe anything I want you to start an exercise program let’s change your diet some and in the process you’ll drop some weight. I also want you to start seeing a Chiropractor. I read a study where they found it can also lower your blood pressure. These things might be enough to lower your blood pressure back to normal. If that doesn’t work then we can prescribe something”, YOU ARE VERY FORTUNATE.  You are very fortunate if you have a medical doctor that would make those recommendations.

So how to get rid of pain and get healthier….ice, stretch, massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, magnets, inversion are just a few of the techniques I have written or will be writing about in more detail. Read more articles on this site. Learn to take care of your body and your body will take care of you.

This is Miguel’s story as he shared it with me now ten years later. He has given me permission to post it on my website.

My name is Miguel. In 1990, after suffering with excruciating back pain I was diagnosed with kidney stones and kidney infections. The different doctors that I saw prescribed pain killers, antibiotics and muscle relaxants. For the next ten years I would continue to see doctors for my kidney pains, kidney stones and back pain. They all continued to give me prescription drugs.

In May of 2000 I started working for Dr. Gonzalez. I did not know anything about Chiropractic. For me it was a job I badly needed. Dr. Gonzalez would teach all his new employees about the science and art of Chiropractic. He explained how all the nerves in the spine carry the electrical life force energy to control all the organs and glands in the body.

All employees received free chiropractic care as a benefit of working for him. Within about five or six months my recurring kidney pain and back problems disappeared. Dr. Gonzalez explained that I had nerve interference in the part of the spine that controls the kidneys.  It was amazing how Chiropractic and spinal adjustments were able to fix this problem while all the other doctors only kept giving me pills while I continued to suffer with kidney problems for ten years.

I have recommended Chiropractic and Dr. Gonzalez to all my family and friends. If you have any health problems you should have a Chiropractor check your spine and nerves to make sure your electrical system is working properly. And if you are reading this and live in El Paso you need to contact Dr. Gonzalez. I highly recommend him to anyone who has any type of health problem. Find out if your problem is originating in the spine like mine was and end years of needless suffering, doctor visits and taking dangerous prescription pills.

There are many magnetic product manufacturers but most have poor quality products. I will be rating many magnetic products I have used. Some are poor and some are excellent. In fact,  I was able to prevent a knee surgery for a torn meniscus on my left knee using Nikken magnets. I will be discussing which ones in particular are good for what  and will have a link directing you to my Nikken Website shortly.

In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding these magnets email me at drcmgonzalez50@yahoo.com or leave me a comment at the end of this post.

Read my personal testimonial using magnets on my other post – Do Magnets Really Work For Pain Relief? www.hangingoutforthehealthofit.com/2010/02/do-magnets-really-work/

Here is a testimonial from a longtime patient of mine.

Dr G,

I’d like to share this story with your readers.

A few years back I slipped and fell hurting one of my knees to the point where I was unable to get up by myself.  I limped around for about three weeks until finally the pain subsided.  Then one day about five years later, I was playing soccer with one of my daughters when all of a sudden that same knee started hurting again. I thought about what I had done that day trying to remember if maybe I had stepped wrong in some way but no. It was that prior injury that I never took care of.  I was really disappointed knowing that slip would haunt me sooner or later.

I was referred to Dr. G by a friend. Dr Gonzalez introduced me to magnetic therapy.  All I did was place the small magnet just under my knee cap with medical tape every night for about four days straight and the pain went away completely.  I haven’t had any problems with that knee since.  I’m definitely hooked. Magnets really do work!!!

Thank you Dr. G!!!

Always,

Veronica

MAGNETS IN THE NEWS

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Watch these 4 short videos for some interesting testimonials……

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Magnets in the News – part 2 of 4
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1. Do not sit for too long…. 20-30 minutes at a time is OK. Lie down, stand up, walk around, sit down. You may have already figured out if you sit too long you hurt more especially when getting up and that you have to keep varying your positions. Also, when you do sit avoid the sofa. Most sofas are too soft. Sit in a hard chair with a good back rest. You can roll up a towel into a roll and use for supporting your low back. You can also use this roll when you’re lying on your back. The key is to not make it too big or too small.

2. Use an ice pack for the pain and inflammation. 20 minutes on and then remove. Reapply after 30 minutes if needed. You can also alternate heat and ice. Heat for 10-15 minutes then ice for 15-20 minutes. You can use the roll with the ice pack on top. This gives your low back excellent support while icing it.

3. DO NOT bend over for anything. When tying your shoes cross your leg or put them up on a chair to tie. DO NOT bend over. If you drop something, get on one knee or squat to pick it up. Avoid heavy lifting.

4. Depending on your Inversion machine, if you have the one where you hang from the thighs, you can do back extension exercises. You may only be able to come up a little at first and after a few days you may be able to come up much higher to where you are horizontal.

5. If you don’t have an Inversion machine, you can also do what I call arch the back exercises while lying on your stomach. With your arms to your sides you lift your chest and legs at the same time…creating an arch. You can also do a half push-up by lying on your stomach and putting your hands on the floor as if you are going to lift your chest off the floor. These exercises will help reduce the disc herniation and provide pain relief. Do 3, 4, 5 up to 8,9,10. Start with what’s comfortable for you. You will feel some pain as you are doing them but should feel much better afterwards. Don’t overdo it, but don’t be afraid of the pain or let it stop you from working out your back. You know your body better than any doctor. Ice afterwards.

6. I’m not a fan of OTC or prescription drugs but if you really need to take any pills, try to take them only at night to help you sleep. Make sure you take them with large glass of water and preferably with a piece of fruit etc. The reason you want to avoid taking pills is that you want to be able to monitor your pain and not be numbed out because then you don’t really know how your back is doing. If you can’t feel the pain, you will sit longer and do stuff you would not normally do if you feel the pain.
Also people on pain pills tend to heal slower…. they interfere with the body’s natural healing.
7. Have you seen a Chiropractor? Inversion and some good Chiropractic adjustments work very well together. The key is finding the right Chiropractor. You may want to read my article… How To Find The Right Chiropractor For You.

8. Use your inversion machine as often as every hour if you can. You might want to start with one or two minutes at a 45 degree angle (if you have the type where you hang from the ankles). As you feel more comfortable you can gradually increase the angle to where you are completely upside down. Start slow and get comfortable with Inversion. You will LOVE it!

Hypertension/High Blood Pressure -Study Finds Special ‘Atlas Adjustment’ Lowers Blood Pressure

By Daniel J. DeNoon- WebMD Medical News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

March 16, 2007 — A specific chiropractic adjustment can significantly lower high blood pressure, a placebo-controlled study suggests.

“This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination,” study leader George Bakris, MD, tells WebMD. “And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems,” adds Bakris, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.

Eight weeks after undergoing the procedure, 25 patients with early-stage high blood pressure had significantly lower blood pressure than 25 similar patients who underwent a sham chiropractic adjustment. Because patients can’t feel the technique, they were unable to tell which group they were in.

X-rays showed that the procedure realigned the Atlas vertebra — the doughnut-like bone at the very top of the spine — with the spine in the treated patients, but not in the sham-treated patients.

Compared to the sham-treated patients, those who got the real procedure saw an average 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure count), and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure number).

None of the patients took blood pressure medicine during the eight-week study.

“When the statistician brought me the data, I actually didn’t believe it. It was way too good to be true,” Bakris says. “The statistician said, ‘I don’t even believe it.’ But we checked for everything, and there it was.”

Bakris and colleagues report their findings in the advance online issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension.

Dr Gonzalez Comments- Chiropractic simply restores the body’s spine and nervous system so that it can function with no nerve interference. Nerve interference is what causes so many problems in the body and once corrected the body normalizes without the need for prescription drugs.  By understanding the importance of the spine and nervous system, how it is the master system of the human body you can begin to appreciate just how powerful and healing a Chiropractic adjustment is.

It’s too bad this research did not make headline news coverage on TV or front page news on major newspapers throughout the country. There would be millions of people tossing out their blood pressure pills and be lining up at the Chiropractors office to get their spine adjusted.

Back in 1994, I was involved in a pretty bad car crash. I was driving south down a busy street and the light turned yellow as I approached the intersection. I had the right of way and proceeded to cross the intersection. Another vehicle which was traveling in the opposite direction (north) decided to take the turn in front of my vehicle.

All I remember is hearing a very loud crash, metal crushing and glass breaking. The next thing I  remember was I heard a siren in the distance. I had been unconscious for approximately 5 minutes. When I opened my eyes I could see a crowd of people gathered at the corner of the intersection and some people were pointing towards my car. There was quite a bit of commotion as me having been unconscious for that length of time might have had people thinking I was dead.

The seat belt kept me from hitting the steering wheel but the impact was so hard it knocked me unconscious. I had an abrasion on the side of my neck and a swollen bruise on my chest from the seat belt. My knees hit the dashboard and I suffered a severe whiplash injury to my neck. After months of therapy my left knee still bothered and in fact got worse. As a Chiropractor the last thing I wanted was to undergo a surgery. I went ahead and scheduled arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus (cartilage) with a local orthopedic surgeon I knew from playing tennis.

The day before my surgery I received a G-mail and was instructed to go to the tennis club and look for my friend Juan, a tennis instructor. Ross Walker, who was the club director there at the time, saw me limping through the club and asked me to look at something. He pulled out a notebook and showed me some testimonials from different doctors and therapists on the use of magnets.

I asked Ross how he found out about this. I told him I had heard magnets were being researched while in Chiropractic School but that there was not much information available yet. Ross told me there had been an anesthesiologist who flew into El Paso to play in a Tennis Tournament a few weeks ago. In between one of his matches he was sitting on a bench rubbing his elbow with a small apparatus. It turned out to be a magnetic massaging device called a Magboy.

I explained to Ross I was scheduled for surgery the next day but that I would be more than willing to cancel my surgery and try out the magnets.

To make a long story short…. after only one week of usiong the magnets I was able to walk without limping or pain. I could put pressure at the point where I had the pain and still feel some pain but not like before. Three more weeks of using the magnets and I was completely out of pain.  I never had the surgery.

I will be posting a link to a company I buy my magnets from. There are many imitators of magnetic products. Just like everything I recommend, I try the products first on myself and then I try them on my patients to see how they respond. Buyer beware.

Magnets work! You just need to get good quality magnets and wear them the right way and for long enough time. Some people may require longer times to heal than others. People who smoke generally take longer time to heal. If you are in poor health you may also take a longer time to heal. You may have to do a few other things if you are slow to heal with only the magnets.

Be patient and persistent.

UPDATE- MAGNETS IN THE NEWS!

Magnets in the News – part 1 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ByyylJ9D_U
Magnets in the News – part 2 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKRtkUMElQc
Magnets in the News – part 3 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCoARw_CO04
Magnets in the News – part 4 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFVB2WQdEv4

Chiropractic has grown to be the largest natural health care profession in the world. There’s a good reason why. Chiropractic gets results. It focuses on diagnosis, treatment and PREVENTION of biomechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, with special emphasis on the spine.

Chiropractic treatment emphasizes manual therapy including spinal manipulation and other joint and soft tissue manipulations.  Depending on the Chiropractor he or she may recommend a healthy diet and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.

I know some Chiropractors that are anything but the image of a healthy lifestyle.  They are just like other people who are overweight and have diabetes or other unhealthy lifestyle diseases. They either believe they have to live with it and take the prescription drugs or they are just plain lazy and think they can continue eating all those delicious unhealthy foods and snacks and washing it down with sodas, diet drinks and lots of booze.

Okay…sorry, but I just had to get it off my chest.

Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs. Some Chiropractors may recommend vitamins and offer nutritional and exercise  counseling as well.

In my book, HANGING OUT FOR THE HEALTH OF IT, I have a subchapter titled, How to Find the Right Chiropractor for You. This is invaluable information for those who don’t already have a Chiropractor as part of their healthcare team. It will guide you as to what you should expect on your first visit, types of treatments, what questions to ask and much more.

You can read an excerpt of How To Find The Right Chiropractor For You here on this website. You may also want to read Why Chiropractic is a Smart Choice (Part 1 and Part 2).

Chiropractic uses a holistic approach to sickness.

Chiropractic seeks to restore and enhance the innate healing powers of the body. If you can understand the importance of the nervous system and how it controls ALL functions of your body, you can appreciate the importance of keeping your spine free from misalignments and nerve interference.

This is extremely important because if you have interruption of the nerve flow to your organs, they can start to malfunction and that’s when the medical approach to use dangerous drugs and surgery can be prevented.

By the way, you may or may not not necessarily feel pain associated with every spinal misalignment.

All the nerves from your spine connect to all your organs, glands and all muscles of your body. The Nervous System is the MASTER SYSTEM of the human body. It controls and directs every function of every gland, organ, muscle and every cell of your body through the flow of energy or Life Force.

It’s just like electricity traveling in copper wires that bring energy to your house.

A “pinched nerve” can interfere with this flow of energy. It has been called a “Silent Killer” and can be extremely dangerous because often times there is no accompanying pain to warn you that something is wrong and malfunctioning.

This “nerve interference” results in symptoms like headaches, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, nausea, gall bladder or other organ problems, arm or leg pain, chest pain, numbness, tingling, difficult breathing and many more symptoms. Because there is no specific pain involved to the spine, this is why many people think they don’t need to see a Chiropractor.

They don’t have any pain in their spines at least that they are aware of. But when I exam a person’s spine who says they don’t have any back pain, I usually find areas along their spine that are tender to touch. This is a sign of spinal misalignments.

Unfortunately, public perception is that you go to a Chiropractor if you have back pain. This type of thinking has been ingrained into the minds of the public for decades. No pain, you’re fine. Got pain? Take a pill.

This is dangerous thinking and one which reinforces the sick care mentality versus a proactive preventative approach to health. Two very different types of thinking. One is to wait until the body gets sick and then do something about it. Go to the doctor and get prescription drugs or surgery.

The holistic approach is to do all things possible within your control to prevent sickness from ever happening in the first place. Proactive not reactive.

Reactive is waiting until you have heart problems or high blood pressure or any other sickness. You go to the doctor, have some tests done, take your pills and maybe even have surgery because after a while the pills don’t work anymore.

A proactive approach to health is if you smoke… stop smoking (better yet never start), start an exercise program at least 3 times per week, stop eating fried foods, hydrogenated oils and so much junk /snack foods, if you need to…lose some weight. You should also start seeing a Chiropractor, massage therapist. Take control of your health and prevent many problems from ever starting.

Chiropractors go to private schools and are not associated with the AMA or the medical schools. In fact, the AMA tried to destroy Chiropractic back in the 60′s and 70′s by promoting false propaganda that Chiropractors were “wolves dressed in sheep clothing”.

You can read that incredible story which few people know about in the book, “Medicine, Monopolies and Malice” by Dr. Chester Wilk. He and several other Chiropractors sued the AMA and the ten medical organizations. The AMA and the ten medical organizations were found guilty of violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and in trying to destroy Chiropractic.

Most Chiropractic Schools require a bachelor’s degree in science and then you attend a four year program. It is a rigorous program and much of the curriculum is that of medical schools. In fact, 70% of the classes are the same classes that medical students take like anatomy, physiology, pathology and so forth.

Chiropractic has also evolved into many subspecialties; Chiropractic Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Rehabilitation, Radiology, Orthopedics, Neurology and Sports Injuries. These are post graduate programs. I took the Orthopedics Program (550 classroom hours) and it took one weekend a month for three years to complete.

I always tell people who have never been to a Chiropractor, “You don’t know what you are missing until you know what you’ve been missing”. Once you find a really good Doctor of Chiropractic it can be the missing link to your health problems.

Remember, the nervous system is the MASTER SYSTEM of the human body! Don’t let anything keep you from enjoying the wonderful benefits Chiropractic can provide , the most important one being keeping your nervous system free from nerve interference.

No more HOLDING BACK! Seek the truth and the truth will set you free.